Continuum Part 2
by honor2hermes
Summary: Second chapter of my series, hope you like it. Oh, and by the way, this run will all be set after the shows endObjects in Space, omitting the events of the movie as much as possible. I would appreciate feedback.


Continuum: Part TwoJordan Owens

The job went smoothly, a little cargo in tow on the way to a system with no known Alliance presence. For once everything was going well, and the crew of Serenity was taking their ease. The only one working was Wash, as he computed their rendezvous course with a contact of the Captain's who could sell the whatever-it-was down in the hold.

Zoe was standing behind him, thinking hard about her encounter with Inara. She had long been suspicious of Mal's love for the Companion, but only now did she know for sure that love was mutual. She knew meddling was for weaker folk than her, but she didn't want to see Mal as depressed as he was for too long. She walked down to the captain's quarters, kicking the door frame to announce her presence. He shouted back up something unintelligible, so she booted the door open and went down the ladder.

"Sir, I wanted to talk to you.." she trailed off mid-sentence, looking down, "what are you doing, sir?

Mal was flat on his back with a pair of huge goggles over his eyes, fiddling with a control unit that was attached to a computer monitor. Inside the monitor she could see a tiny window with a sunset shown inside, but only for a second.

"Uh, nothing," Mal started, "Just trying out this new gadget. Its a piece of junk." He threw the unit onto the bed contemptuously. "What's up, something with the job?"

"No, sir, looks like we'll make the meet with time to spare."

"Then what's wrong."

"Sir, I know it's not my place, but it everything all right? You haven't seemed like yourself the last few weeks."

Mal looked at her like she was crazy. First Jayne and now her, they all thought they could play at being River, seeing into his thoughts. "Why do you say that?"

"Well, it just seems like you lost something, sir. And you're too proud to admit it."

"What are you talking about?" he sounded almost honest.

She pushed him hard enough to get his attention, sending him reeling into the wall. She stood then in front of him with her hands on her hips, that 'don't screw with me' look plastered all over her face. Mal had seen that face enough, but never directed at him. He was terrified.

"Uhhh, Zoe? I'm having a flashback here to that other girl who put me out, are you alright?"

"Nobody drugged me, I'm trying to wake you up! I would never have said a gorramn word, but you seem to not be able to function. I mean, I had to take the sit-down with Takami. You think he'll believe you were sick?"

"What are you talking about, Zoe?"  
She looked right at him and said, "Inara."

He went cold. He knew she was getting to this, but he still wasn't prepared.

"Um, look, I'm sure you're very worried, but I'll be fine."

"You love her, don't you?"

"Yes." He knew that if he lied right to her face Zoe would see right through him.

"Okay, then go tell her."

"It's not that simple." He tried to believe it, but he knew she was right.

"Alright, then I was wrong about you."

"Wrong about what?" Mal was starting to get agitated.

Zoe fixed him with a steely glare, "I used to think you were a brave man." She walked away.

She walked straight into the common area where Jayne and Kaylee were concocting something using a variety of tubes and hoses. To Zoe it seemed a job Jayne was ill fit for, but he moved with a practiced care she had only seen when he was shooting.

"What're you two doing?"

Kaylee looked up grinning, "Jayne an' I are makin' a batch of real life Serenity sake."

Zoe laughed, "Where'd you learn to do that?"

"It ain't me. Jayne's the mastermind this time." she grinned at him now.

Zoe stared, "You can do that?"

Jayne looked almost embarassed, "Well, I ain't never said I couldn't, did I?"

Zoe leaned over the table, looking back to make sure Mal wasn't around, "Look, what would you two say to helping me out with something?

Inara slowly closed the tin that held her incense, holding the strand between her first and third fingers just so. Her own smell permeated the room, mixed with that of her last client. She did not despise or disgust that smell, it simply was preferable to light incense. Her fingers twitched at the heat of the coal, but it was ritual. She held the coal for long enough to light the stick, then returned it to its bed of sand. The incense went into a dragon-shaped golden holder given to her when she was in the Training Academy. She paused for a moment to savor the scent, then went about tidying up. She was a little more than surprised at the knock on the door, which was the first of its kind since she had announced to the captain she was leaving. Except for braiding Kaylee's hair, of course.

"Come in." She was prepared for anyone but who came. If it had been Mal, she would have had trouble. But with Kaylee or the others, well, that was easy enough. But she had never really been at ease with Jayne, for reasons she couldn't identify.

"Hey 'nara, sorry to bother ya." His language, as usual, was rough, but his mannerisms seemed a great deal more polite than she was used to seeing from Jayne. He stood with his hat in his hand, grasping it as though for protection. "I dont usually go in for womens troubles, or givin advice or nothin, but I was wonderin if I could ask you somethin."

At this point Inara was growing worried. Jayne had only ever been in her shuttle when he absolutely had to be, never by choice. Also, he had never even once shown that he cared about her opinion in any way. But she was cautious, saying "Sure. Take a seat, Jayne. Whats the matter?"

Jayne looked at the ground, uncertain.

"It's okay, I can at least listen, if thats what you want."

"You sure, cause I didn't know if you'd even talk to me."

"Why would you say that?"

"Well, cause Im always raggin on ya thats why. And I looked all creepy like at you and your nice woman client. And I always watch you when you're walkin away.."

She cut him off, "Okay, thats enough," she certainly didn't want to hear any more about that, "what's on your mind?"

In the dining hall Simon was watching River play a card game with Book, Mal, and Wash. It was incredibly comforting to see her playing so calmly, laughing and joking with the crew as if she was... 'well,' he thought, 'what is normal, anyway? There's not a one of us on this ship could be called normal, not in the truest sense of the word.'

Kaylee came in behind him and surprised him with a pinch, as usual. He smiled and turned, looking at her. She looked into the room quickly and ducked out again, beckoning him to follow her. He glanced at River, but she was totally engrossed in her game, so he quietly followed the little mechanic back toward the infirmary. He found her on the couch instead, pouring two cups of something out of a plain bottle.

"Come sit," she said with a grin, "It won't kill ya."

He sat down and accepted the cup, looking into her eyes. She looked embarrassed so he looked instead to his cup and said, "So, what were you and Jayne talking about?"

She laughed and almost spit up her drink, then replied, "Oh its great. Me an' Jayne are gonna try an get Mal an Inara together."

Simon couldn't help but chuckle, "You and Jayne? Well, I guess with those two even he could pull it off. But how?" He drank, a little too deeply, because the concoction went straight to his head.

Kaylee was all giggles now, "Jayne is gonna go to Inara, an he's gonna say..."

Jayne looked up at Inara, trying as best he could to seem truthful and honest, "I got a crush, 'Nara."

Inara was suspicious. Jayne would never have come to her. There had to be a ploy here. "Why would you come to me? I thought.."

"You know all about that stuff, come on. I needs help, cause I ain't never been good at talkin to girls. I'm good at the other stuff, but that ain't what I need help with."

Inara tried to drive the mental picture out, "That's fine, but what did you come here to ask me?"

Jayne looked up, turning all doe-eyed like Kaylee had said to, "I'm in love with Kaylee!"

Inara was speechless.

"I don't know what to do!"

She looked at him, sitting there clenching both fists like he was in a fight. She could almost believe him, if she wasn't sure a prank was about.

"Inara, tell me what to say, cause I cant stand seeing that gorramn doctor lay his hands on her again! _Dong ma_?"

Inara, now taken aback by his intensity, replied "Jayne, I will say something to her. You need to calm down and be patient. Your lave for her is perfectly natural, but you can't let jealousy tear you apart." The words were automatic. In her mind, Inara was trying to figure on how long Simon would last, if Jayne was telling the truth. She had to do something.


End file.
